Selector segment setting device for teletype machines



March 26, 1968 R. REKEWITZ ETAL 3,374,874

SELECTOR SEGMENT SETTING DEVICE FOR TELETYPE MACHINES Filed Oct. 22, 1965 Fig.4

l N V E N TORS 00041 6K5 vv/rz 166 -4420 @6752 av/4,4,4 744i: AT TOR NEYS United States Patent 7 Claims. ci. 197-72 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Code bar adjustment means in which the carrier for the code bar is vertically adjustable into at least three type group positions. The code bar carrier in the one form of the invention is horizontally and vertically shiftable, and the adjustment mechanism for the code bar is mounted on a carriage which is shiftable horizontally with the code bar carrier. The code bar is in the form of a segment of a circle and is adjustably mounted at its opposite ends on its carrier for movement generally conforming to the mean are of the code bar. The actuator for adjusting the code bar is in the form of an electromagnet mounted on a carriage having an armature operating a bell crank lever pivoted to the carriage, intermediate its ends. The bell crank has a vertical arm pivotally connected at its upper end to a coupling link, pivoted to the code bar intermediate the ends of the code bar with its longitudinal center line extending generally tangentially of the lower side of the code bar. A spring connected to the code bar biases the code bar into one position of adjustment, while the armature moves the code bar into a second position of adjustment. Vertical adjustment of the code bar carrier is compensated for by a second coupling link pivotally connected to the carrier in vertical alignment with the pivotal connection of the first coupling link to the carrier, and pivotally connected to the carriage for movement about the axis of the pivot of the bell crank. This provides a parallel compensating linkage arrangement connected between the code bar carrier and code bar, compensating for vertical adjustment of the carrier into its various positions of adjustment and enabling the positions of the code bar to be maintained uniform and to be uniformly adjusted in the various positions of adjustment of the carrier. In another form of the invention the armature of the .electromagnet is directly connected to the first coupling link. The second coupling link is connected to the casing for the electromagnet. The electromagnet is mounted on a stationary support for horizontal movement, to compensate for angular movement of the first and second coupling links and the various elevations of the code bar carrier relative to the armature of the electromagnet. In athird form of the invention a cam is provide-d on the free end of the second coupling link and the coupling link is guided intermediate its ends for longitudinal and pivotal movement. The cam abuts an abutment surface extending from the casing for the electromagnet. This abutment surface is biased into engagement with the cam by a spring.

Background of the invention Where only two type groups of code bars are provided, an exact setting of the respective code bar can be carried out without regard to .a particular type group set, by a setting arrangement in which the coupling link in its one position of adjustment forms an angle extending to one side of a tangent line extending from the point of connec- 3,374,874 Patented Mar. 26, 1968 tion of the coupling link to the code bar and tangent to the a-rcof travel of the code bar, and in its other position of adjustment, forms the same angle at the opposite side of the tangent line. Where, the code bar carrier is vertically adjustable into more than two working positions, however, these positions of adjustment of the code bar carrier will result in different angular settings of the coupling link with respect to the code bar, which will result in inaccurate settings of the code bar.'

These disadvantages are cured according to the principles of the present invention by connecting a coupling link which shifts the code bar relative to the code bar carrier to move in a substantially straight line, and by connecting a second link to the code bar carrier to extend substantially parallel to the first link. The first and second coupling links are arranged to extend from a horizontally shiftable structural unit which remains in a fixed vertical position during shifting of the code bar for the first link, to attain uniform adjustment of the code bar in a Wide variety of positions of vertical adjustment of the code bar carrier.

In this manner it is possible to guide the coupling link at its end remote from the code bar by a structural part which does not participate in the vertical movement of the code bar carrier.

According to a further development of the invention, in an adjusting device of this type having a coupling link controllable by a bell crank forming a right angle, the shaft forming the pivotal axis of the bell crank controlling the coupling link also forms a pivotal axis for the second coupling lever.

In a preferred form of the invention, a shifting memher acting with impact on a bell crank is supported on a structural part which, as compared with the code bar carrier, is vertically unshiftable.

According to another further development of the invention, the code bar carrier, together with the adjusting member for the first coupling link, is arranged for movement along the line of the type-carrier carriage.

Further details of the invention will appear in the example of construction described in the following and illustrated in the drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates an adjusting device for a code bar movable along the printing line and shiftable vertically into more than two working positions for type-group Change;

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the principle of the compensating device utilized; and

FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate modifications of the device according to FIG. 1.

In teletype machines employing a movable code bar carrier 1, the code bar carrier is usually mounted for slidable movement along a guide tube 2, parallel to the printing line, to effect a type-group change, and is adjustable 'by raising and lowering said guide tube into three type-group positions. The middle posit-ion is illustrated by solid lines in FIGURE 1. The other two positions on each side of the middle position are illustrated by dot-dash rollers in FIGURE .1. Movable parallel to the printing line and guide tube 2 on a guide rail 3 is an actuator carriage 4 mounted on two pairs of rollers 5 and 6. An axle 5 for the pairs of. rollers 5 forms a pivotal axis for a bell crank 7, intermediate the ends of the bell crank, which serves as a transfer lever between the outer end of an armature 8 of an electromagnet '9 and a coupling link 10. Said electromagnet is suitably mounted on the carriage 4 for horizontal movement therewith. The coupling link 10 is pivotally connected to the upper end of the vertical arm of the bell crank 7 at one end and to a .code bar 11 at its opposite end. The center line of the coupling link 10 is generally tangential to the arc of travel of the code bar 11 and is pivotally connected to the code bar 11 intermediate the ends thereof, to move said code bar into one of its working positions upon pivotal movement of bell crank 7, actuated by extensible movement of the armature 8 with respect to the electromagnet 9.

A tension spring 12 is connected to the code bar 11 to bias the code bar into a second position of adjustment, shown in FIGURE 1 of the drawings as being a left hand working position, when the electromagnet 9 is deenergized. With this arrangement, in which the electromagnet 9 and bell crank 7 are mounted on the carriage 4 independent of the code bar carrier and guided for movement parallel to the printing line, the mass to be moved vertically upon vertical adjustment of the code bar carrier is kept small. The acceleration forces appearing in vertical adjustment of the code bar carrier also are not transferred to the armature of the actuating electromagnet for said bell crank.

It is essential that the code bar 11 be in exactpositions of adjustment in the various positions of elevation of the code bar carrier 1, in order that locking teeth 11 of said code bar carrier may be positioned in the proper blocking positions with respect to pull rods 14 of the type levers (not shown). One pull rod 14 only is shown in FIGURE 1 in order to simplify the disclosure, although it should be understood that individual pull rods are provided for each type lever and generally correspond to the blocking teeth of the code bars. In order to assure an exact position of the code bar 11 and the proper positioning of the blocking teeth 11* of said code bar relative to the pull rods 14 in the various positions of elevation of the code bar carrier, a second coupling link 13 is pivoted to the code bar carrier 1 with its pivot axis disposed beneath and in vertical alignment with the axis of connection of the coupling link 10 to the code bar 11. The second link 13 is pivotally connected at its end opposite the code bar carrier 1 to the axle 5 which serves as a pivot for the bell crank lever 7. The links and 13 are respectively pivotally connected to the upper ends of the bell crank lever 7 and to the axle 5 to extend in parallel relation with respect to each other in all vertical positions of adjustment of the code bar carrier with respect to the bell crank 7. The links 10- and 13 thus form a parallel guide for the code bar, with the longitudinal axis of the link 10 extending generally tangential to the effective are of adjustment of the code bar 11, shown in FIGURE 1 as generally corresponding to the arcuate lower side of said code bar 11. The point of connection of the bell crank lever 7 to the link 10 likewise moves in generally parallel relation with respect to movement of the coupling links 10 and 13. It should further be noted that since the code bar carrier 1 is vertically adjustable in a direction perpendicular to the guiding surface of the guide 3 for a type-group change, that the second coupling link 13 corrects the position of the axle 5 forming the pivotal axis of the bell crank lever 7. Thus upon equal strokes of the armature 8 upon energization of the electromagnet 9, the blocking teeth 11- of the code bar 11 will be in the same relation with respect to the pull rods in all vertical positions of adjustment of the code bar carrier 1 and code bar 11. For the evaluation of special functions, for example, carriage return, a second electromagnet (not shown) may be disposed on a stationary portion of the machine.

In FIG. 2 the positions of bell crank 7 and links 10 and 13 drawn in solid lines represent the intermediate elevational position of the code bars, while the position of links 10 and 13 for code bars which have been shifted upward or downward is indicated by thin lines. The midline of the arm of bell crank lever 7 connecting the links 10 and 13 is indicated in dot-and-dash lines, with the amount of deflection being designated by the reference letter a.

For constructional reasons it may be desirable to shift the code bar carrier and possibly blocking code bar vertically with respect to a structural part which simultaneously carries the electromagnet or an equivalent control member of a different type, for example, by pneumatic power means. This construction is directly possible, especially when, as in the example of execution illustrated in the drawing, the free lever arm of the bell crank 7 on which the plunger 8 acts is relatively large as compared with the deflection amount a in FIG. 2. There is still achieved also in this case a sufficient compensation of the code bar movements in the individual elevational positions. The pivotal axis of the bell crank is there movably borne along the printing line with respect to the structural part corresponding to the carriage 4.

FIGURES 3 and 4 show a modified form of the invention in which the code bar carrier 1 is vertically adjustable into more than two positions and the code bar 11 is adjustably moved into its right-hand end position by a coupling link 10. A tension spring 12 connected between the code bar and code bar carrier in the same manner as shown in FIGURE 1 is provided to bias the code bar carrier into its left-hand end position of adjustment. In the form of the invention shown in FIG- URE 3, coupling link 10 is connected to the code bar 11 in the same manner and relationship as shown in FIGURE 1. The end of the coupling link 10 opposite the code bar 11 is in direct alignment with and is pivotally connected to a draw armature 17 movable parallel to the printing line, in opposition to the force of the spring 12. The draw armature 17 is retractible within an electromagnet 18, upon energization of said electromagnet. The electromagnet 18 is mounted for slidable movement in a horizontal direction for a distance sufficient to compensate for adjustment of the code bar carrier 1 in its various positions of vertical adjustment on guide rods 19 and 20, extending from a stationary structural part 22 of the apparatus. A coupling link 13 is pivotally connected to the code bar carrier 1 with its axis of pivotal connection to said code bar carrier in vertical alignment with the axis of pivotal connection of the coupling link 10 to the code bar 11. The opposite ends of the coupling link 13 is pivotally connected to the electromagnet 18, to adjusta'bly move said electromagnet along the guide rods 19 and 20 as the code bar carrier 1 is shifted into its vertical positions of adjustment, upward or downward of the intermediate positions of said code bar carrier illustrated in FIGURE 3 of the drawings. This arrangement, like the arrangement shown in FIGURE 1, assures the code bar 11 will be maintained in the exact same end positions of adjustment with respect to code bar carrier 11 in the various positions of vertical adjustment of said code bar carrier.

The form of the invention illustrated in FIGURE 4 is very much like that of FIGURE 3 except the electromagnet 18 has a part 18 depending from its casing. The part 18 extends downwardly of the guide rod 20 and has a right angled lower end portion 18*, extending toward and engaging a cam 23 on the free end of the link 23.

The end of the right angled end portion 18 extending from the part 18 toward the cam 23*, is biased into engagement with the face of said cam by a compression spring 21, shown as seated on the structural part 22 at one end and on the adjacent end of the electromagnet 18 at its opposite end. The link 10 is connected between the code bar 11 and the armature 17 of the electromagnet 18 in the same manner as in FIGURE 3. The electromagnet 18 is also slidably guided for movement along the guide rods 19 and 20' under the control of the cam 23*. The link 23 has a guide slot 23 extendingtherealong, through which extends a pivot pin 24, mounted on the structural part 22. As the code bar carrier 1 is vertically adjusted into its various positions of adjustment, the coupling link 23 will be angularly moved about and slidably moved along the pivot pin 24. Angular movement of the link 23 will thus cam the electromagnet 18 to maintain the coupling link in proper relation with respect to the code bar 11, as the code bar carrier 1 is moved into its various positions of vertical adjustment. The construction shown thus assures uniform adjustment of the code bar 11 as the code bar carrier is vertically adjusted into any of its three type-group positions. The face of the cam 23 may be varied in curvature to accurately compensate for the angular positions taken by the links 10 and 23, as the code bar carrier is adjusted into its type-group positions.

We claim:

1. In an adjusting mechanism for teletype machine code bars,

a code bar carrier supported for shiftable movement into morethan two vertical shift positions,

a code bar generally arcuate in form and adjustably mounted on said code bar carrier at its ends, for adjustment along a uniform arc into blocked positions with preselected type levers,

means biasing said code bar in one position,

a first coupling link pivotally connected to said code bar intermediate the ends thereof and extending therefrom, substantially tangential to the arc of travel thereof,

a control member operatively connected to said coupling link and operable to shift said coupling link and code bar against the bias of said biasing means,

said control member maintaining the longitudinal axis of said coupling link substantially tangential to the lower surface of said code bar when in a mean operating position, to efiect -a selected type group change,

a second coupling link spaced from said first coupling link and parallel thereto,

means pivotally connecting said second coupling link to said code bar carrier for pivotal movement about an axis parallel to and in vertical alignment with the axis of pivotal connection of said first coupling link to said code bar,

and means connecting said coupling links to said control member to maintain the angular relationship between said coupling links substantially the same in all shift positions of said code bar carrier and shiftable horizontally to thereby attain a uniform adjustment of said code bar, regardless of the vertical positions of the code bar carrier.

2. A code bar adjusting mechanism according to claim 1 wherein the control means includes a bell crank movable about a pivotal axis disposed intermediate the ends of said bell crank,

wherein the second control link is pivotally connected coaxial with the pivotal axis of said bell crank,

wherein said bell crank has vertical and horizontally extending lever arms the vertical lever arm of which is pivotally connected to said first control link, and

wherein operating means are provided for said bell crank and have engagement with said horizontal lever arm of said bell crank to shift said code bar into a selected operative position.

3. A code bar adjusting mechanism in accordance with claim 2, wherein the operating means includes an electromagnet, and an armature engagable with the horizontal arm of said bell crank and extensible from said electromagnet upon energization of said electromagnet.

4. An adjusting mechanism for a code bar in accordance with claim 1,

wherein the code bar carrier is mounted for horizontal movement along the printing line, and

wherein the control member is mounted for horizontal movement with the code bar carrier.

5. An adjusting mechanism for a code bar in accordance with claim 1,

wherein the control member comprises an electromagnet having an armature operatively connected with said first control link, and

wherein the electromagnet is held from vertical movement.

6. An adjusting device according to claim 5,

wherein fixed guide members extend alOng opposite sides of said electromagnet,

wherein said electromagnet is guided in said guide members for limited movement therealong,

wherein the armature of said electromagnet acts in opposing relation with respect to said biasing means and is connected with said first link, and

wherein the second link is connected to said electromagnet in parallel relation with respect to said first link to control the position of said electromagnet and first link with respect to said guide means in accordance with the position of said code bar carrier.

7. The code bar adjusting mechanism of claim 5,

wherein the second couplinglink is slidably guided for movement in a plane generally parallel to the plane of said first coupling link,

wherein a cam is formed on the free end of said link,

wherein abutment means extends from said electromagnet, for engagement with said cam, and

wherein said cam varies the position of said electromagnet in accordance with the angular position of said second link, to maintain said first link in the same general relative operative position with respect to said code bar regardless of the position of adjustment of said code bar carrier.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 722,291 3/ 1903 Ferguson 197-74 X 847,415 3/1907 Latta 197-74 X 966,956 8/1910 Schaafi 197-74 X 984,744 2/1911 Brown 197-74 X 1,034,154 7/1912 Smith 197-74 X 1,904,164 4/1933 Morton et al. 178-33 X ROBERT E. PULFREY, Primary Examiner. E. S. BURR, Assistant Examiner. 

